By Nyashadzashe Ndoro
Opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader, Julius Malema has branded Zimbabwean leader Emmerson Mnangagwa as a political “pig” gluttonously eating the fruits of independence at the expense of the masses while the nation is experiencing economic turmoil.
Malema in his Women’s Day rally on Sunday stressed that Mnangagwa and South African leader Cyril Ramaphosa were cut from the same cloth by selfishly personalising and monopolising the gains of independence while the masses languished in abject poverty.
“Mnangagwa has become a pig and he is eating his own children in Zimbabwe. He is no different to Ramaphosa. When they came in we had hope for change, but things have become worse,” he said.
Zimbabwe is currently experiencing massive human rights violations perpetrated by Mnangagwa’s regime which is battling an economic crisis partly blamed on corruption and mismanagement.
The crisis has already caught the global eye.
The Zanu PF government has been embroiled in gross corruption and mismanagement of the economy which has resulted in a huge citizens’ outcry. Political activists have also taken to social media to expose state sponsored arrests, rape, torture and abductions.
Malema urged the online #ZimbabweanLivesMatter movement to migrate to the streets to engender real change;The EFF leader Malema proposed to make a Messina-Beitbridge blockade to protest and demand human rights restoration which he said his party would support.
#EFFWomensDayRally Malema: Why is the youth of Zimbabwe not rising in Zimbabwe and face death because they are already dead? Our own comrades must stop the hashtag revolution and engage in the real revolution They supported us during our struggle and we must support them now.
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) August 9, 2020
#EFFWomensDayRally Malema: Mnangagwa has become a pig and he is eating his own children in Zimbabwe. He is no different to Ramaphosa. When they came in we had hope for change, but things have become worse.
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) August 9, 2020
#EFFWomensDayRally Malema: Zimbabweans are not cowards, Zimbabweans have fought before. Why is the Youth of Zimbabwe fighting through hashtags? Why is the youth of Zimbabwe fighting from South Africa and London? Why are they not occupying borders in Musina? We will support them.
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) August 9, 2020
#EFFWomensDayRally Malema: We are here at Mama’s grave to talk about the rights of women because she was the champion of that. Yet, next door in Zimbabwe the rights of the people of Zimbabwe are being violated, particularly the rights of women.
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) August 9, 2020
Several opposition members and government critics have been arrested in recent days while human rights groups allege security forces have carried out illegal abductions.
The ruling Zanu PF party blames the main opposition MDC Alliance for inviting Western sanctions on the country. But the Western countries blame the ruling regime for human rights abuses.
Three weeks ago, investigative journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono, a key player who exposed Mnangagwa, his son Collins and his wife Auxilia in massive corruption, the US$60m Drax Covidgate scandal that saw the arrest and dismissal of former Health Minister Obadiah Moyo, was arrested together with opposition Transform Zimbabwe leader, Jacob Ngarivhume.
Moyo was arrested over the scandal, released on ZWL 50 000 bail and never entered the prison gate.
Chin’ono and Ngarivhume were last week denied bail by Justice Tawanda Chitapi of the High Court in Harare.
They were arrested ahead of the 31st July protests against corruption and charged for allegedly “inciting violence”.
On 31st July 2020, the Zimbabwean police arrested scores of people who tried to hold peaceful demonstrations. Nehanda Radio
